November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month!

We here at DFW Beagle Buddies LOVE senior dogs. With an entire month dedicated to adopting senior pets, we hope to give people even more reasons why seniors are a great option and are so worthy of a forever home. Please check back frequently, as we will be adding photos and stories all month long!

Carrie & Steve and Riley, adopted at age 12

“There are many reasons why dogs end up in shelters, but nothing seems as sad to me as the plight of an older dog who has had the experience of a good home only to have it taken away. How confusing it must be to have your world turned upside down when you’ve long been used to human love and companionship.

That’s exactly what had happened to Riley when we started fostering him in July of 2012. After 12 years of living with the same family, Riley was forced into sudden retirement. I admit, I was hesitant about taking in a 12 year-old foster dog, after having lost a 19 year-old beagle months earlier and with another senior dog dying of cancer. But, Riley’s feisty spirit, love of beer and sweet nature made him an instant fit in our family. And when he was diagnosed with cancer just a few months later, we knew we didn’t want him spending whatever time he had left with anyone but us.

It’s true that you can expect a senior dog to be with you for less time than a younger dog. But, really, it’s impossible to predict when illness or an accident will take a young dog. Of course, some of the best reasons to adopt a senior dog are selfish ones. Many older dogs are already house trained and know commands. And dogs that have lived in a house for a long time know the rules: no begging at the table and no chewing on shoes! Senior dogs are also mellow and go with the flow, which is great for those of us looking for someone to share the couch with and not a playmate.

Adopting a senior dog may not be about the quantity of time, but more about the quality. We may not have had a long time with Riley, but I wouldn’t trade the time we did for anything in the world.”

Larry and Tulip, adopted at 7 years old

“During the last year I had brought my Fathers two -14 year beagles home to live with us. My father was very ill and I promised him I would take his dogs and give them a good home. The two beagles both only lived a short period, one four months the second 10 months. So a couple of months after Molly had passed away I wanted a new beagle to keep Abeigale the beagle I have had for the last six years company. That’s when I found your web site and saw Tulip’s picture and bio. I wanted a adult female dog that was house broke and a age close to the beagle I already have. Plus I wanted a dog that is normally harder to place then a puppy or a very young dog.

She is a great dog. She is house broken, crate trained, gets along great with my other beagle. They play, chase each other love to go on our daily walks and has really brought a much higher level of activity to Abeigale’s life. So I would say to anyone – do not bypass an older dog. Be there for their remaining years, give them the love you would give a new puppy. You will find out there is still a lot of puppy left in a older dog – all they need is a little loving to bring it out.”

Monica & Steve and Arthur & Ellie, adopted at age 12-13

“We had 3 beagles; Eddy, Jackson and Scooter. In 2009 we lost Scooter after a year-long battle with lymphoma. In 2011, Eddy who was just a few months shy of his 15th birthday suddenly went downhill physically and we had to let him go on July 27th. We were devastated and heart-broken. Poor Jackson would walk over to Eddy’s bed and smell it and then walk over and lay down on his bed and sigh. It was so sad to watch him. I swore I could not get another dog.

But then I happened upon DFW Beagle Buddies and I saw Harley and Lita and loved their little faces and I didn’t want them to be put down because no one would foster them. I believe they were heartworm positive and I didn’t think I could handle more medicine after all we’d been through with Scooter and Eddy. I don’t know if it was Amy or someone else that suggested we foster Arthur and Ellie who were healthy because there was someone else that would take Harley and Lita. I think I cried all afternoon. That night I went home and pulled up Arthur and Ellie’s pictures and asked Steve what he thought about fostering. His answer without hesitation was, “Do it.” Amy brought Arthur and Ellie to our house and it was love at first sight! Life returned to our house and Jackson didn’t grieve so much for Ed. He didn’t have time – Arthur was ready for FUN! What a change they made to all of us, almost immediately.

No matter what age of the pet you get, you are never promised perfect health and you’re never promised they will behave all the time or in the way you want. Jackson is 14, Arthur is 13 and Ellie is 12 and every moment is precious to them and to us. Having seniors is such a joy. They have no idea how old they are and love to play and go for walks and eat treats. They do enjoy a great nap but so do I. We had to help them adjust to our household rules but they were quick learn and are so eager to please. They are a constant source of laughter and happiness and we are so happy to give them a home where they are cherished and loved. Fostering is a “gift you give yourself” – even if you fail at it by falling in love! It’s a failure you can brag about ARROOO from Art and Ellie and Jackson!”

Mario and Lily, adopted at 7 years old

“Lily being a senior was perfect for me. I lost a long time pet in April. I had two dogs at the time. That was until I lost Harmony. Hunter is still with us and was noticeably sad he had lost his life long friend. I travel allot and just did not have the time to train a new puppy over the next two years like they need to be taught. But I felt bad leaving Hunter all alone when I was gone. So I began to look for an adopted pet. Lily was perfect because she was house broken and had the older beagle calm temperament. (Except around food LOL). But Lily stepped right in after learning the rules of the house. Lily was the right fit since she already was out of her chewing stage and “going to bathroom” inside the house phase. Both good things for extended absence. With very little time in training too. Lily had some new house jitters, but came through just fine. She is a great partner for Hunter while I am gone during the week at times. Lily is a great addition to our family.”

The Vivretts and Lucy & Ethel, adopted at age 7-8

“Lucy and Ethel are still going strong – Ethel does have a pancreatic tumor so we are not sure how much longer we will have her, but she hasn’t missed a meal or a walk so that is good. Lucy had bad teeth and mammary gland tumors removed and she has perked up quite a bit – playing with her favorite toy the blue monkey and basking in the sun. They are both very loving and bring a lot of joy to us. They especially like when we have company, especially small children, for the extra petting as well as the eternal hope that food might get dropped. True Beagles!! Mac and I are content with the adoption of older dogs as we are older as well. The antics of a puppy require more energy than we have, but once the older dog settles in, they become our best friends. The challenges of the older dog are behavioral, medical, and financial. Knowing and being prepared for this allows us to care for the dog as needed and then we can best get the maximum benefit from their companionship. My sister laughs that we have become a retirement home for Beagles, and even hospice as needed. We are thrilled that we can do this and are repaid with love.”

The Barnicas and Gatsby, adopted at 7 years old

“At the time we had two other beagles, 17 year old Lucy and 5 year old Rico. We have had Lucy since she was 9 weeks old, and rescued Rico at 9 months, he was to have survived Lucy. We lost Rico on a Thursday in March 2012, due to a non-repairable spinal injury. We came upon Gatsby, through the Web Site, DFW Beagle Buddies virtually the next day. Other than filling a void in our hearts, our other main concern was Gatsby’s ability to get along with our aging Lucy, which turned out to be a non-issue. We lost Lucy this spring due to her age, and Gatsby seems to have been destined to fill our void.

He loves walks, pets, and treats and meets no strangers, young or old, animal or human. We have not adopted an older pet before, but after having Gatsby in our home, I would definitely recommend this to any family. He is so well behaved and being older, already had some training which certainly simplifies house training. My belief is that with an older pet, all they want is a home where they feel safe, secure and more importantly loved. Gatsby has truly brought us unconditional love and we are so thankful to have him every day. We have had him for 1-1/2 years now and we still comment on how blessed we are to have found him. He has brought us so much joy and happiness and we love him so much. We are truly blessed to have found him.”

Roberta and Farley, adopted at age 8

“Sadly, older dogs seem to be passed over far too often. But adopting a senior was a very satisfying choice for me. Watching Farley relax in a sunbeam through his favorite window or snoring in his bed, knowing that he trusts that he’s now safe at home and secure for the long haul, has been incredibly gratifying. He has the loving retirement home that he deserves. I only hope that my own retirement is as comfortable as his.”

Anne and Harley & Lita, adopted at 8-9 years

“I now have had my two senior beagles for almost a year. I can say we have truly bonded. They no longer practice their escape routes and the few occasions when they have gotten out, they come around to the front door and wait patiently to be let back in. Lita, in the green kerchief, remains the more mischievous one. Harley is more laid back about life unless there is food or snacks involved. I decided I wanted to adopt a senior beagle after my beagle of 14 years passed. I didn’t want to go through the puppy and juvenile stages with another dog and I really wasn’t too sure if I was prepared for the adolescent age either. I opted for a senior after finding Beagle Buddies online and seeing how closely Lita reassembled my Lucy, I fell for her first. Since Lita was already bonded to Harley, I decided to give them both a try. I was surprised to find Lita had the appearance of the dog I missed but Harley shared more of her personality. I’m glad I have added both to our animal family.”

The Sundes and Molly, adopted at 11 years old

“We adopted Piper in June 2012 and were very happy with her. However, we felt that she should have a companion, maybe female and definitely a Beagle. I follow DFW Beagle Buddies on Facebook and when they posted Molly’s picture and story, I thought maybe we could try fostering to see how that worked out. I called Amy and told her we would be glad to provide a foster home for Molly. Because Molly is a senior lady, we expected to have her with us for a while. Well, we are one of those foster failures! She is one of the sweetest and cutest little Beagles we’ve ever had and she stole our hearts right away. After a few weeks, I called Amy to tell her there was no way we would ever be able to give her up so we wanted to adopted her. Her new sister wasn’t too sure about having to share the attention and the sofa with someone else, but eventually she warmed up and now they’re the best of friends. We love Molly so much and we’re so happy she came to live with us. Thanks Amy and DFW Beagle Buddies!”

The Ranges and Bogart, adopted at age 9

“We adopted Bogie between 8 and 10 years old. He is a sweet loving beagle, and has learned our rules except for running away to sniff if he is let out without a leash! We had never adopted an older pet before Bogie because we were afraid of bad habits, etc. He turned out to be a really great pet, and loves us as much as we love him! He also gets along well with his sister who is 10. It’s hard to understand how someone could let a dog go who has raised him for years! But their loss was our gain. I encourage others to give seniors a chance, they are really worth it.”

The Tillmans and Tangie & Gabbie, adopted at 9 years old

“We love our senior beagles! There are so many wonderful reasons to adopt a senior dog, it hard to list them all! We have always felt a special connection to the beautiful frosty faces of older dogs. We want to show them that that it is not too late for love and happiness. They give so much love back in return, it is as if they know they are being given another chance for a good and loving home. We have found that there are many big advantages to adopting an older dog. They are already house trained, they are calmer and less likely to chew and get into “puppy mischief”, they become instant companions, and sometimes you are literally saving their lives! We plan to always have a house full of senior beagles!”

Amy and Rebel Roo, adopted at age 7

“I’m Amy, the president/founder of DFW Beagle Buddies. 6 years ago, I decided to adopt a dog. I had never had a dog before and, looking back, had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into! I started my search on Petfinder and found so many wonderful dogs who needed homes. I had no preference on breed or age – I was just looking for whoever jumped out at me. And for whatever reason, a 7 year old Beagle named Rebel was the one who caught my eye.

When I met him, I knew he was the one. He was so sweet, friendly, and calm but still playful. I took him home with me that day and we were automatic best friends. He was already house trained, was well-behaved, and didn’t need a lot of exercise. He was just as happy to lay on the couch with me as he was to go on a walk. Honestly, I never once considered that an older dog was any sort of issue. I am so glad I adopted him versus a puppy – otherwise I absolutely would have been in over my head! I credit him with “unlocking” my passion for Beagles, and to this day, I still have quite a soft spot for senior dogs.

All Beagles are wonderful, but seniors are just extra special. Rebel Roo has since crossed the rainbow bridge, but I couldn’t have asked for a better first dog and I’m thankful that he taught me that senior dogs are every bit as worthy of forever homes. I hope that more people will consider older dogs when they begin their adoption journey.”